This wine shows tiny bubbles that are mousse-like in the mouth. Ultra light with fresh and bright flavors that would be great with a light fish or seafood and also as an aperitif. Real crowd-pleaser at a recent dinner party and the neat packaging is certain to be a conversation-starter.

This big and rich Chianti was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and rightly so. This wine features spicy and sweet layers and intense dark berry flavors. The color of this wine is the darkest ruby.

Served half the bottle decanted and the other half not. The wine out of the bottle was sharp but not unpleasant and made me glad that I decanted some of it. The decanted wine show more velvety tannins and was smooth and delectable.

Successfully paired the 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva with bacon-wrapped filet mignon and it was a good match. Not the first thing I’d think of pairing with it, but worked well none-the-less.

I went to a MeetUp wine tasting event on Friday night and was fortunate enough to sample over 31 wines. The selection of wines was varied, ranging from an affordable Donny Boon Syrah to a mid-priced 2003 Chalk Hill to a couple extremely nice Super Tuscans.

I know it’s not ‘right’, but I skipped most whites in favor of the reds and found one of the affordable finds very pleasant and food-friendly. I’m talking about the 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva. This wine wasn’t overwhelming but had enough depth to satisfy me in a way only Italian wines can.

After so many wines, I didn’t fully trust my palate, so I bought a couple of bottles for an Italian dinner party I hosted last night. The wine was a crowd pleaser and even features a tiny vine twig attached to the bottle (touch classier than a wicker covered bottle). My friends who enjoy lighter reds didn’t find this wine too robust for them, and folks, like me, who like a mouthful of fruit appreciated it also. The wine is a vibrantly purple in the glass and every sip brings about a big mouthful of peppery blackberries that ends in a dry finish. Pairing this wine with my meat lasagna was a great move and finishing my last swallow with dark, decadent Valhrona chocolate brownies was also fitting.

The 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva is typically in the $14-$15 price range, but I was able to find it on sale for $11.99 at Wine Library. Smart buy, solid and affordable wine.